Sneezing proves dangerous for one man

Did you ever hear that rumour when you were a child – if you sneeze with your eyes open they will pop out as you sneeze at 100mph? Did you try sneezing with your eyes open just to prove the theory wrong?

Well, this time the warning is real – doctors are warning that sneezing can cause serious damage after a man ruptured his throat trying to hold in a sneeze. In fact, the damage caused to his throat was so bad he had to be fed by a tube for a week in hospital until it healed up.

The 34-year-old man went to hospital after the sneeze led to a ‘popping sensation’ in his neck and he was left barely able to speak or swallow.

Doctors wrote in the British Medical Journal: “Halting sneeze via blocking nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre and should be avoided, as it may lead to numerous complications.”

So should we be worried about sneezing? No, doctors go on to say that such ‘spontaneous perforation of the pharynx’ is rare.

However, with the flu season now upon us and the recent outbreak of Aussie flu in the headlines, the advice being given by health officials is to let your sneezes out – just make sure you catch it all in a tissue to avoid spreading the germs.